SLL Week 8, Day 3~ Meet Lysa TerKeurst!

Lysa TerKeurst…maybe you’ve heard of her. She’s the President of Proverbs 31 Ministries, which kind of makes her my boss. (She’s awesome to work for by the way!) She’s also a great friend who is very loyal and a lot of fun! This picture really shows her personality perfectly! (Email subscribers, click here if you can’t see the pic.)

You probably know her as the woman who has had appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The 700 Club, USA Today newspaper, Woman’s Day magazine, and Focus on the Family radio.

Or you may know her as the New York Times bestselling author of 16 books, her most recent releases, Made to Crave and Unglued, have remained on the best sellers list for over 40 weeks combined.

Or possibly you know Lysa and her ministry team at Proverbs 31 encourage 500,000 women through their daily online devotional. In addition, she co-hosts a 1-minute inspirational radio program aired on more than 1,200 stations around the world. Lysa’s blog averages over 80,000 avid readers per month. Plus, she touches hearts through their monthly magazine, P31 Woman.

But do you know the everyday Lysa TerKeurst?

Okay here is the deal… there is a right way that bio’s are supposed to be done. So, I’ve pasted my standard bio above. It gives my credits and credentials but to be honest it makes me sound way more polished than what I really am. I’ve included it in case you need to read it for whatever reason. But this is who the everyday me is…

Lysa TerKeurst: Yes, my mom spelled my name that way at birth. She named me after a soap opera character…and a mean one at that! But she loved the way the name sounded so she changed the spelling. My maiden name was King which I would love to keep as my middle name but Lysa King TerKeurst sounds a little lofty for a simple country girl.

My husband: My husband Art owns a Chick-fil-A restaurant and is the most patient man I know! Three weeks out of the month he loves me and loves to do whatever he can to help me do ministry. One week out of the month he simply puts up with me and my bout with the Princess Must Scream syndrome. But hey, three out of four ain’t bad! One of the greatest things about Art is that he lets me stick my cold feet under him at night and never complains. He is a great leader who teaches me something about leadership every day by simply watching him live his life.

My Kids: I have 5 kids. Me! The woman who struggled to keep goldfish and hamsters alive when I was a kid and now God has entrusted me with 5 children. I do feel incredibly blessed with my three biological kids and two adopted kids. I love them to pieces. They are the most fun part of my life! But they also challenge me in the deepest ways. The best parenting tip I’ve discovered is pray, pray, and pray some more. I can’t be an effective parent without a whole lot of the Lord and some daily doses of strawberries with Stevia.

My Ministry: I work with the most incredible team of women at Proverbs 31 Ministries. What started as a simple newsletter to encourage moms has now grown beyond my wildest dreams. The effectiveness of Proverbs 31 Ministries can’t be attributed to slick marketing plans and flawless leadership. We are simply a group of women sold out to saying yes to God and He truly does the rest. I’d love for you to get connected to Proverbs 31 Ministries by visiting http://www.proverbs31.org/.

My Everyday Life: I feel like a success in my everyday life if I get through the day having spent time with the Lord, exercised in some way, had a laugh with one of my kids, had clean underwear in my husband’s drawer when he needed them and made a friend smile.

Lysa is also the author of our next OBS, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, beginning July 28, 2013. Get ready y’all~ as we learn to live with less stress, we will begin to hear God’s voice more clearly. What He says to us and what He asks of us. Could it be it’s time for you to say “Yes to God?” Stay tuned, sign ups will begin soon!

Leave a comment this week and you will be entered to win a copy of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, signed by Lysa just for you! You will also win the P31 Real Life Bible!

Comments

I am glad to know more about Lysa. I am really trying to decide if I should do this next study. I recently lost my job and I am not sure if I should buy this book or not. I have considered sitting this next one out and actually get in to studying my actual bible. I love these studies and would miss out on such a blessing I know but maybe God will still bless me if I continue to study the bible on my own. Its something I will need to pray more about in the coming weeks. Please keep me in your prayers as well. Hopefully I will get a job soon and that will be a stress reliever. While reading this book and especially Chapter 8 I believe I am a Personal Deflector. I truly do not have a personal life. Now I don’t have a career life either. I am feeling as if I have no life at all. This has been difficult and stressful. I find myself not being able to fall asleep at night and then in the morning having a harder time waking up in the morning. My appetite goes between non to large. I am trying to save money and not spend it on food as much so I can continue to pay bills. I don’t know how long I will be without a job and I am afraid the amount I have saved up will not be enough to sustain me for that long. I have friends who have been looking for a job for 6 months or more and I don’t know If I will be able to survive that long without a job. I have never had a personal life. I am an introvert and I am really shy and I have anxiety when I am in social settings. I cannot relax even amongst actual friends. Forget about ever dating. I have nothing to offer a man so I have already given up any dreams of being married or having children. I continue to pray that God will give me some opportunity that will make me feel as if I actually have something to offer this world. I hardly get out of the house and see myself becoming a major hermit already. I am glad I got to do this study with everyone because I am seeing myself in a hole new life. I would have never considered myself as being an adrenaline junkie. I always pictured those crazy people who endanger their lives as adrenaline junkies and not someone like me. My attitude has been a major source for my stress especially during this job interview process. I haven’t had any of them but I am already stressed with the idea that I will basically have to sell myself to someone in order to get a job. I don’t like those questions because I cannot answer those questions. I don’t know where I want to be in the next 5 years, I don’t know how I can benefit any company. I don’t know my strengths. I do know my weaknesses. That will only prevent me from getting a job and not help me to get one. Anyway, just keep me in your thoughts.

Kelly,GOD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF!!!!!!!!GOD LOVES YOU!!!!I WILL BE 63 YEARS OLD IN JUNE.I USED TO BE VERY HARD ON MYSELF AS YOU ARE ON YOURSELF<When you get these thoughts,THIS IS SATAN SPEAKING TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly Get In The Word. SatanItsUsingYourFear To KeepYou From Moving Forward.MMakeYourSelfA ScriptureBox And Use It. Page 116 In Book. You Truly Are A Woman Of God Which Gives You Much To Offer. I Am Asking God To Wrap You In His Loving Arms And Guide You To The Spiritual Vitamins You Need. God Bless You And Remember You Have Many Sisters To Help You In Christ Love Elaine

It is the last week of school. Usually I am a ball of nerves but this year something is different. Lysa and Tracie have provided wonderful suggestions and the obs has helped me continue to take baby steps to get on a more even keel. Thanks to P31 for all the blessings and God Bless each of you. Still working on the memory verse and. Making a scripture box for a new friend at church.

Ohhh… So happy I came across this and I won’t be missing out. I heard her speak at the Extraordinary Women’s Conference in Greenville, SC in 2011. The whole conference was such a blessing as martial law had just been imposed in Bahrain and there was a need for me to “escape” and rest without the hovering of helicopters. As a flight attendant it’s so hard for me to join any Bible studies / Growth groups from the Church I attend in Bahrain cause I feel like I’m missing out so much if I can’t go one week. So an online Bible study? Count me in!! Hope it will bless all those participating

I loved Lysa’s book, Unglued, and have been greatly blessed by it while making the transition from working mom to stay-at-home mom. I am excited for more works from Lysa and am looking forward to the launch of her new Bible study!

The more I read Lysa’s devotionals the more I find myself relating with her! I truely love everything she writes and can’t wait to see what she has for us! I’ve never really ‘bonded’ with a writer before but Lysa is always ‘spot on’ and I know I will be in for a fun and practical word from her. I keep thinking I should read Unglued, I’m sure it’s right up my alley…

I am so encouraged to say “yes” to God because of Lysa’s humble attitude and willingness to step out and say “yes” to God. I have been reading her blog for so long that I remember a blog post where she talked about how she’ll never be on the New York Times Best seller list. Two books later

Am very excited to do this online Bible Study, am getting ready to order both books.. I am a 44 year old mother of twin 18 year old boys and 1 20 year old daughter.. I have gladly given up my career to raise my children but am praying that the Lord will use me in a big way now that they are going away to school..

I am so thrilled with Lysa statement that God took the newsletter beyond her wildest dreams. God amazes me everyday. How calming to know that He walks with us and strengthens us for the challenges of the day. I start my day with a P31 devotion. Usually, one statement will catch me as did Lysa’s widest dream and stays with me throughout the day. His Word is the answer to all of our prayers. Praising God for this ministry. I share it with everyone….Would have loved it when I was raising my children…..so now I ask if they read today’s devotion so we can discuss it. Praising God for each of you and for your saying “yes” to Him.

These bible studies have been such a blessing to me. I am so glad that God led me to Proverbs 31. Although I end up ok playing catch-up most of the time, I truly love the online studies. May God continue to bless you guys each and every day. Thank you for being there for us!